Friday, January 25, 2013

If you, like me, are a Downton Abbey addict, no doubt you waited impatiently to see what beautiful creation Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) would don for her long-awaited wedding to Matthew Crawley.
(Dan Stevens)

Since the beginning of this PBS series, millions of fans have watched every week to see what new,

decadent costumes we would be treated to, as well as glorious scenes of life in a magnificent English castle. In real life, this spectacular "pile" is Highclere Castle, in Hampshire, UK.

Lady Mary's dress was very representative of the times in which the show takes place-the 1920's.

The stunner is the dainty, vintage, 45 carat diamond tiara and veil that

cost the costume department $200,000!

Add this to the cost of the gown, and this is the show's most expensive costume, by far.

This calla lily bouquet is spot on for the times.

Though often accompanied by lots of greenery in real weddings,

this was the go-to wedding flower for the day.

A few weeks later, we were treated to yet another wedding; that of the middle daughter, Lady Edith.

(played by Laura Carmichael) Unfortunately, (spoiler alert!), Edith was left at the altar, but nonetheless,

this too was a beautiful satin dress, one that I think I prefer over Lady Mary's lace sheath, if truth be told! The designer took cues from the house of Lanvin, but ultimately used a vintage train, carrying the embroidery through to the shoulders. A very elegant look. Lady Edith also wore the same family tiara.

The soft pastels worn by her two sisters are also very representative of the period.

As with Kate Middleton's (real-life) wedding to the future king of England,

it will be interesting to see what impact this series will have on wedding fashions in general.

Due in no small part to the Duchess' teardrop bouquet, we have begun seeing an interest
in wedding bouquets that have a bit of drape to them,

rather than the 'hand tied" bouquets that have been so popular for years.

Friday, January 4, 2013

For the New Year, I thought this would be a good time we debunk some of the myths

and beliefs about flowers and flower care.

No doubt, great-grandma passed along lots of old wives tales and supposed facts,

and these have dutifully followed down through the ages. It's a new year, and time for some hard truths!

When you receive a floral arrangement from your florist, those flowers will have been properly "processed"...meaning they followed the cold chain to maintain freshness.

Once they arrive at the flower shop, they will receive a fresh cut,
allowing fresh cool water and floral food to once again flow through the stems.
It's also important to change the water in the vase every few days,
and recut the stems with a clean, sharp knife.
(Not scissors!)
Remember to keep floral arrangements out of direct sun,
and away from extreme heat and cold.

Now, let's take a look at some of these old-wives tales...

ASPIRIN:

This substance will stop the flower from forming it's own defense against the cut that was made on its stem.

BLEACH:

While it's true controlling the bacteria levels in your flower vase is important, adding bleach to the flower water will also increase the pH level of the water, so the benefits will be far outweighed.

LEMON JUICE:

Salt levels in water contribute to browning foliage,

as well as reducing the amount of water that the stems can uptake.

SUGAR:

One of the primary needs of a flower, sugar is an important component of a flower's life.

But too much sugar speeds up the development of bacteria, and bacteria is deadly to flowers.

PENNIES:

Though pennies are composed of some of the elements that flowers need to develop,

they are also covered in bacteria, and that will speed the demise of your flowers!

LEMON-LIME SODAS:

As sugar is a prime ingredient in sodas, adding this to your flower water will have the same effect
as straight sugar , which is to increase the amount of bacteria in the water.

Have questions about flower care and handling?
Call or email us anytime!

About Me

Hello! I'm Debra Graham, owner of Bloomers Floral Design and author of the Bee, (formerly the BloomersBlog)-random musings on all things floral. I'm a native New Englander, now transplanted here in North Carolina. Flowers have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember, starting with pinching off the roses from my grandmother's bushes when I was little. (she would have preferred that I didn't, I'm sure!). I've lived in apartments with tiny porches, and houses with many acres, and the common denominator in all was flowers...flowers in pots, flowers in rows, flowers hanging from hooks. And always, fresh flower arrangements would be created out of whatever was available. Bloomers is an extension of that passion, and I pass it along in every design I create for my customer. The Bee is one more way to pass along my love of flowers to you!